UMCH has many opportunities for you, your organization or your church to get involved! We welcome anyone interested in volunteering their time and talents to the mission and ministry of our agency.
What can I do?
UMCH Friends Auxiliary
The Friends ladies are a favorite of the youth at UMCH because these ladies plan fun activities for our kids. Birthday parties, the Christmas dinner and the annual summer picnic are just a few of the many activities the Friends ladies make happen. The Friends Auxiliaries meet on the first Monday of the months of March, April, May, June, September, November, and December. The Mt. Vernon Friends meet in the UMCH Chapel Conference Room located at 2023 Richview Rd in Mt. Vernon, and the Centralia Friends meet at the Kaskaskia Workforce Center located at 325 S. Poplar in downtown Centralia.
Visiting Resource
What is needed?
Adult volunteers are asked to commit to a couple of hours per month (preferably 1 hour per week) for at least 6 months to develop a healthy relationship with a youth in one of our programs.
What is required?
For safety purposes, each volunteer must be willing to submit to a background check (child welfare & criminal), fingerprinting through the Illinois Department of Children & Family Services. If the visitation will include transporting a youth, driving records must be checked for transporting clearance and proof of insurance must be on file with the agency.
What can I do with the youth? The possibilities are endless.
- Provide transportation to/from & supervision during worship services, church activities, Sunday School, etc.
- Go to the park, shopping, fishing, movies, plays, local community events, sporting events, miniature golf, etc.
- Take a youth to your home for a visit / family dinner.
- Tutoring / Reading Buddy
- Teach a youth a new hobby / skill
- Call the youth during the week to say "Hi" and see how they're doing.
- Arrange a time to stop by UMCH to spend some time with a youth.
While visiting resources need to be 21 and older, other volunteer
opportunities can be met by youth groups and other organizations.
Maintenance
The UMCH campus can always use a green thumb or a helping hand! We have a seasonal list of projects available for groups interested in helping out with different tasks.
Spiritual Life Activities
UMCH welcomes churches, spiritual groups, and praise bands interested in putting on dramas and concerts for our youth.
Nurse-Family Partnership 
Our Best Beginnings/Nurse-Family Partnership program can always use individual volunteers or groups to host baby showers for the women in that program.
For additional information on volunteer opportunities contact
Joan Minor at (618) 242-1070 ext 240 or jminor@umchome.org